Category: The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

• Maitreya’s Perplexity and the Eternal Buddha in the Lotus Sutra

  

  Date: August 27, 2025 Subject: Review of Chapter 15 of the Lotus Sutra, focusing on Maitreya’s inquiry and the revelation of the Eternal Buddha. Key Themes: I. Introduction: The Cosmic Unveiling and Maitreya’s Inquiry Chapter 15 of the Lotus Sutra, “Welling Forth from the Earth,” sets a dramatic stage with a vast assembly of Bodhisattvas…

  William Altig

  September 5, 2025

  Chapter 15, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Bodhisattvas of the Earth, Bodhisattvas Welling Forth from Earth, Buddha-nature, Changing Poison into Medicine, Eternal Buddha, Inherent Buddhahood, Latter Day of the Law, Lotus Sutra Chapter 15, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Maitreya’s Verse, Mystic Law, Nichiren Buddhism, One Vehicle (Ekayana), Origin Teaching (Honmon), Original Enlightenment (Hongaku), Saha world, Shakyamuni Buddha, Sincere Questioning, Skillful Means (Upaya), Three Buddha Bodies, Tiantai School, Trace Teaching (Shakumon), Vulture Peak, Young Father Ancient Sons Analogy

• The Lotus Sūtra’s Ceremony in the Air and its Embodiment in Nichiren Buddhism

  

  Date: September 2, 2025 Purpose: This document provides a detailed review of the “Ceremony in the Air” as depicted in the Lotus Sūtra, its allegorical meanings, and its profound reinterpretation and practical application within Nichiren Buddhism. I. Overview of the Ceremony in the Air (Lotus Sūtra, Chapters 11-22) The “Ceremony in the Air” is a…

  William Altig

  September 4, 2025

  Chapter 11, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Bodhisattvas of the Earth, Buddhahood, Buddhism, Buddhist Allegory, Buddhist art, Buddhist Doctrine, Buddhist Philosophy, Buddhist practice, Ceremony in the Air, chanting, Enlightenment, Gohonzon, Heian Period, Human Potential, Ichinen Sanzen, Lotus Sutra, Mahayana Buddhism, Many Treasures Buddha, Mystic Law, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nichiren Buddhism, Reality and Wisdom, Shakyamuni Buddha, Spiritual Transformation, Spiritual Virtues, Sutra Commentary, Tendai, Tiantai, Treasure Stupa, Universal Enlightenment

• The Transformation of Worldly Adornment into Spiritual Merit in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  Date: September 1, 2025 Source: Excerpts from “Lotus Sūtra Chapter Analysis: The Transformation of Worldly Adornment into Spiritual Merit: An Exegesis of King Wonderful-Adornment’s Offering in the Lotus Sūtra” This briefing document summarizes the key themes, ideas, and facts presented in the provided analysis of Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra, focusing on the story…

  William Altig

  September 3, 2025

  Chapter 27, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Bodhisattva Medicine King, Bodhisattva Medicine Superior, Bodhisattva Path, Buddha Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King Flower-Wisdom, Buddhism, Chapter Twenty-Seven, Democratization of Enlightenment, Dharma Accessibility, Family Revolution, Jeweled Platform, Karmic Debt, King Wonderful-Adornment, Lay Practice, Lotus Sūtra, Mahayana Buddhism, Nichiren, Pearl Necklaces, Pure Eye, Pure Storehouse, Queen Pure Virtue, renunciation, Skillful Means, spiritual merit, Spiritual Transmutation, Sōka Gakkai, Tiantai School, Tāla-tree, Universal Enlightenment, upāya

• The Lotus Sutra, the One Vehicle, and Nichiren’s Embodiment of Buddha’s Mind

  

  I. Executive Summary This briefing document examines the profound doctrinal shift introduced by the Lotus Sūtra within Mahayana Buddhism, particularly its declaration of the “One Vehicle” (Ekayāna) as the ultimate path to universal enlightenment, transcending prior teachings as “expedient means” (upāya). It highlights the pivotal narrative in Chapter Six where the Buddha’s foremost disciples, representing…

  William Altig

  September 1, 2025

  Chapter 6, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Arhatship, Bodhisattva, Bodily Reading, Buddha’s Mind, Buddhahood, chanting, Diamond Sūtra, emptiness (śūnyatā), Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, Expedient Means (Upāya), Hinayana, inner transformation, Latter Day of the Law, Lotus Sūtra, Lotus Sūtra Chapter Six, mahayana, Mahā-Kātyāyana, Mahā-Kāśyapa, Maudgalyāyana, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō (Daimoku), Nichiren, Omniscience, One Vehicle (Ekayāna), Prajñāpāramitā, Pratyekabuddha, Prophecy of Buddhahood, Provisional Teachings, pure and far-reaching voice, Socially Engaged Buddhism, Societal Responsibility, Subhūti, Three Thousand Realms in a Single Thought-Moment, Transcendent Buddha, Treatise on Opening the Eyes of Buddhist Images, Unsurpassed Wisdom, Voidness, Wonderful Dharma, Śrāvaka

• The Lotus Sūtra: Joyful Perseverance and the Unwavering Path

  

  I. Executive Summary This briefing document examines the core teachings of the Lotus Sūtra, focusing on the apparent paradox between the promise of “non-returning” and the Bodhisattva’s commitment to “returning” to the world for the benefit of all beings. It elucidates how the Lotus Sūtra reinterprets “non-returning” not as an escape from saṃsāra, but as…

  William Altig

  August 30, 2025

  Chapter 3, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Anāgāmin, Avinivartaniya (Non-Regression), Bodhisattva Path, Bodhisattva vow, Buddhahood, Devadatta, Dragon King’s Daughter, Joyful Resolve, Lotus Sutra, Mahayana Buddhism, Non-Duality, Non-Returning, One Vehicle (Ekayana), Parable of the Burning House, Perseverance (Virya), Saha world, Skillful Means (Upaya), Spiritual Maturation, Theravada Buddhism, Universal Liberation, Śāriputra

• Lotus Sūtra: Karma and Power

  

  Date: August 27, 2025 Source: Excerpts from “Lotus Sūtra: Karma and Power” (various linked sources) I. Executive Summary This briefing document summarizes key themes from an analysis of Chapter Nineteen, “The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma,” of the Lotus Sūtra. It highlights the Sūtra’s core message of universal enlightenment, emphasizing that Buddhahood is…

  William Altig

  August 29, 2025

  Chapter 19, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Avici Hells, body, Buddha Nature, Buddhahood, Chapter Nineteen, Cosmic Humanism, Cutting Off Afflictions, Dharma Teacher, Dharma Transmission, Ears, Embodied Enlightenment, Eyes, Greed, happiness, Heavenly Eye, Insight (Prajna), Internal Happiness, karma, Karmic Consequences, Karmic Transformation, Lotus Sūtra, Love and Compassion, Mahayana Buddhism, Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma, mind, Nose, Patience, Perceptual Transformation, Purification of Six Senses, Rokkonshoujou, Saddharma-puṇḍarīka Sūtra, Spiritual Power, Spiritual Practice, Sumeru-worlds, The Buddha Speaks the Sutra About Karma., Tongue, Universal Enlightenment, Violence, Worldly Power

• The Lotus Sūtra and Assured Buddhahood

  

  Executive Summary This briefing document provides a comprehensive analysis of the Lotus Sūtra, particularly focusing on Chapter Two, “Expedient Means,” as a foundational text for understanding inherent purpose and cultivating perseverance. The Lotus Sūtra challenges conventional Buddhist thought by asserting the universal potential for Buddhahood, emphasizing that innate wisdom and compassionate purpose are eternal realities,…

  William Altig

  August 28, 2025

  Chapter 2, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form, Bodhisattva, Buddhahood, Chapter Two, Compassion and Perseverance, compassion., Daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo), expedient means, Ichinen Sanzen of Ji, Ichinen Sanzen of Ri, Inherent Buddha, Juki, Lotus Sutra, Nichiren, One Great Reason, One Vehicle (Ekayana), Parable of the Burning House, Persecution prophecies, Profound and Wonderful Teachings, Provisional Teachings, Real Dharma, Shakyamuni, Skillful Means (Upaya), Strategy of the Lotus Sūtra, T’ien-t’ai, Ten Factors of Life, Ten Worlds, Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life (Ichinen Sanzen), three vehicles, True Aspect of All Phenomena, Universal Enlightenment, Voluntarily assuming appropriate karma, votary of the Lotus Sutra, wisdom, Śāriputra

• The Eternal Buddha, Skillful Means, and Ultimate Reality in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  This briefing document provides a comprehensive review of the main themes and crucial ideas presented in the provided source, “The Eternal Buddha: Lifespan, Skillful Means, and Ultimate Reality.” It focuses on the re-conceptualization of the Buddha, the pedagogical role of skillful means (upāya), and the implications for practitioners and the understanding of reality within the…

  William Altig

  August 26, 2025

  Chapter 16, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Buddha-nature, Buddhism, Chapter 16 (The Life Span of the Thus Come One), Compassion (Karuṇā), Cosmic Scale of Buddhahood, Dharma-kāya (Pure Dharma Body), Eternal Buddha, Expedient Nirvāṇa, Faith and Practice, Historical Buddha, Lotus Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Meditation, Nichiren, Nirmāna-kāya (Transformation Bodies), Nonduality, One Vehicle (Ekayāna), Ontology, Parable of the Burning House, Parable of the Skilled Physician, Pedagogy, Philosophy, Religion, Sambhoga-kāya (Perfect Reward Body), Skillful means (Upāya), Spirituality, Tiantai School, Time (Linear vs. Unconditioned), Tri-kāya (Three Bodies), Wisdom (Prajñā), Zhiyi, Śākyamuni Buddha

• The Lotus Sūtra: Bridging Faith and Reason through Embodied Practice

  Date: August 25, 2025 Subject: An analysis of “The Lotus Sūtra’s Paradox: Faith, Reason, and Embodied Dharma” Purpose: To summarize the core arguments, key themes, and essential concepts presented in the provided text concerning the teachings of the Lotus Sūtra.—–Executive Summary “The Lotus Sūtra’s Paradox: Faith, Reason, and Embodied Dharma” examines the perceived contradiction within…

  William Altig

  August 25, 2025

  Chapter 2, Chapter 21, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Active, Bodhisattvas, Bodhisattvas of the Earth, Boundless Wisdom and Courage, Buddhism, Burning House Parable, Chapter 16: The Life Span of the Thus Come One, Compassion, Confident Prayer, Cosmic Tableau, Democratic and Empowering Ideal, Dramatic and Narrative Framework, Dynamic, Embodied Dharma, Engaged Practice, Engaging with Mundane Life, Eternal Buddha, Eternal Dharma, Ethical and Philosophical Foundation, expedient means, Explicit Revelation of Teachings, Faith-Based Practice, Global Citizens, Grassroots Compassionate Action, Here and Now Manifestation, Humanitarian Competition, Immortal, Infininitely Profound and Immeasurable Wisdom, Infinite Potential and Dignity, Inherent Transcendental Essence, Innate Buddhahood, Inner Determination, Liberating Others, Living Beings of the Dharma Realm, Living Text, Lotus Sūtra, Meditation, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, Nichiren, Non-Conceptual Realization, Non-Dualistic Worldview, One Vehicle (Ekayāna), Paradox of Revelation and Incomprehensibility, Performative Vehicle for Enlightenment, Philosophy, Prodigal Son Parable, Pure Buddha-Land, Religion, Saha World of Suffering, Self-Benefit, Self-Realization and Empowerment, Shakyamuni Buddha, Skillful means (Upāya), Soka Gakkai, Solitary Buddhas, Spirituality, Superior-Practice Bodhisattva (Jōgyo), Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgata, Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-Nature), Ten Life-States, Textual Container, three thousand realms in a single moment of life, three vehicles, Tiantai, Tiered Understanding of Dharma, Transformative Faith, Transforming Environment into Pure Land, Transforming Society, Transforming Suffering into Happiness, Treasury of the Hidden Core of the Tathāgata, True Self of the Buddha, Unattainable by Reasoning Alone, Voice-Hearers

• Merit and Wisdom in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  Date: August 23, 2025 Subject: An Exegetical Analysis of Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sūtra: The Accumulation of Merit and the Path to Clarity Key Sources: Excerpts from “Lotus Sūtra: Merit and Wisdom” 1. Executive Summary This briefing document provides a detailed review of Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sūtra, “Discrimination of Merit and Virtue,”…

  William Altig

  August 23, 2025

  Chapter 7, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  bhikṣu, bhāvanā, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist practices, Chapter Seventeen, clarity, Dharma, dāna, ego-clinging, emptiness (śūnyatā), Internal Transformation, Kṣānti, Lotus Sūtra, Maitreya Bodhisattva, maitrī, Meditation, mental purification, Merit (Puṇya), Nirvana, non-self (anātman), One Vehicle (Ekayāna), Philosophy, Religion, Saṃsāra, sangha, self-conceit (māna), Skillful means (Upāya), Spiritual Development, Spirituality, stūpa-mausoleum, Two Accumulations, virtuous actions, Wisdom (Prajñā), śīla